{"id":976,"date":"2022-03-18T13:39:00","date_gmt":"2022-03-18T20:39:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/who-are-the-jesuits\/"},"modified":"2023-04-19T11:00:58","modified_gmt":"2023-04-19T18:00:58","slug":"who-are-the-jesuits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/who-are-the-jesuits\/","title":{"rendered":"Who are the\u00a0Jesuits?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n    \n            \n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--article-hero \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--article-hero\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n<div class=\"inner-wrapper\">\n          \n<div class=\"f--field f--image\">\n\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n              \n      <img\n                            data-src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2023\/04\/story-3654-768x432.jpg\"\n          data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2023\/04\/story-3654-768x432.jpg 768w\"          data-sizes=\"(min-width:1200px) 75vw, (min-width:768px) 83vw, 100vw\"          class=\"lazyload\"\n        \n                  alt=\"Who are the\u00a0Jesuits?\"\n        \n        \n                                      \/>\n\n    \n    \n  \n  \n\n<\/div>\n  \n      <div class=\"image-caption\">\n          \n<div class=\"f--field f--description\">\n\n    \n  Venezuelan priest Arturo Sosa Abascal, center, was chosen as new superior general of the Jesuits in 2016. (Image Source: Flickr\/ Michael Swan.)\n\n\n<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  \n  <div class=\"text-wrapper\">\n          <nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumb\" class=\"breadcrumbs\">\n        <ul>\n                      <li><a href=\"\/news\/stories\/\">News<\/a><\/li>\n                      <li><a href=\"\/news\/stories\/\/?category=arts-and-culture\">Arts and Culture<\/a><\/li>\n                  <\/ul>\n      <\/nav>\n    \n              \n<div class=\"f--field f--page-title\">\n\n    \n  <h1>Who are the\u00a0Jesuits?<\/h1>\n\n\n<\/div>\n    \n          <div class=\"subtitle\">\n            \n<div class=\"f--field f--description\">\n\n    \n  The Jesuits are among the Catholic Church\u2019s most influential religious orders but no strangers to controversy. So who are the Jesuits? And what makes them distinctive? <strong>[5\u00bc min read]<\/strong>\n\n\n<\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    \n           <strong class=\"author-field\"><span >By<\/span><a href=\"mailto:communication@dornsife.usc.edu\">Dorian Llywelyn<\/a><\/strong>\n    \n          <span class=\"post-date-field\">March 18, 2022<\/span>\n      <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--social-share \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--social-share\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n  <div class=\"content-wrapper\">\n    <span class=\"a2a_kit a2a_kit_size_32 addtoany_list\" style=\"line-height: 32px;\">\n      <span class=\"title\">\n        Share\n      <\/span>\n                        <a class=\"a2a_button_copy_link\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/#copy_link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"Link\">\n            <span class=\"a2a_svg a2a_s__default a2a_s_copy_link\">\n              <svg height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 19 19\" width=\"19\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"m7.43475275 9.52380952-2.17490843 2.26076008c-1.08745421 1.058837-1.68841575 2.518315-1.68841575 4.0350275 0 1.5167124.60096154 2.9475732 1.68841575 4.0350274 1.058837 1.0874543 2.51831502 1.6884158 4.03502747 1.6884158 1.44087681 0 2.80427251-.5423678 3.86936601-1.5289606l.1656615-.1594552 2.2321428-2.2321428-1.6311813-1.6311813-2.2321429 2.26076c-.6581959.658196-1.5167124 1.0016026-2.43246332 1.0016026s-1.7742674-.3434066-2.43246337-1.0016026c-.65819597-.6581959-1.00160257-1.5167124-1.00160257-2.4324633 0-.8547009.2991453-1.6595442.87416905-2.2981957l.12743352-.1342677 2.23214286-2.2321429zm6.88661855-.40736607-5.26116068 5.26116075 1.61881868 1.6188186 5.2611607-5.2611607zm1.3837569-5.54501488c-1.4408768 0-2.8042725.54236779-3.869366 1.52896062l-.1656615.15945513-2.23214282 2.23214286 1.63118132 1.63118132 2.2321429-2.23214286c.6581959-.65819597 1.5167124-1.00160256 2.4324633-1.00160256s1.7742674.34340659 2.4324634 1.00160256 1.0016026 1.51671246 1.0016026 2.43246337c0 .85470089-.2991453 1.65954419-.8741691 2.29819559l-.1274335.1342678-2.2321429 2.2321428 1.5739469 1.5739469 2.2321429-2.2321428c1.0874542-1.058837 1.6884157-2.5183151 1.6884157-4.03502751 0-1.51671245-.6009615-2.94757326-1.6884157-4.03502747-1.058837-1.08745421-2.518315-1.68841575-4.0350275-1.68841575z\" transform=\"translate(-3 -3)\"\/><\/svg>\n            <\/span>\n            <span class=\"a2a_label visually-hidden\">Copy Link<\/span>\n          <\/a>\n                                <a class=\"a2a_button_facebook\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/#facebook\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"Facebook\">\n            <span class=\"a2a_svg a2a_s__default a2a_s_facebook\">\n              <svg height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 19 19\" width=\"19\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"m23.9512 6h-16.9024c-.57923625 0-1.0488.46956375-1.0488 1.0488v16.9024c0 .5792362.46956375 1.0488 1.0488 1.0488h9.10024v-7.34768h-2.46772v-2.87584h2.46772v-2.11508c0-2.45404 1.49872-3.79012 3.68828-3.79012.7389668-.00263323 1.4775241.03516995 2.21236.11324v2.56348h-1.51392c-1.18788 0-1.4174.56544-1.4174 1.39612v1.8316h2.84772l-.37088 2.87584h-2.47684v7.34844h4.83284c.5792362 0 1.0488-.4695638 1.0488-1.0488v-16.9024c0-.57923625-.4695638-1.0488-1.0488-1.0488z\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" transform=\"translate(-6 -6)\"\/><\/svg>\n            <\/span>\n            <span class=\"a2a_label visually-hidden\">Facebook<\/span>\n          <\/a>\n                                <a class=\"a2a_button_twitter\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/#twitter\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"X\">\n            <span class=\"a2a_svg a2a_s__default a2a_s_twitter\">\n              <svg version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\"\n\t y=\"0px\" viewBox=\"0 0 30 30\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 30 30\" xml:space=\"preserve\" width=\"19\" height=\"19\">\n<path fill=\"#000\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M14.5,16.2l-0.8-1.1l-6.3-9h2.7l5.1,7.3l0.8,1.1\n\tl6.6,9.4h-2.7L14.5,16.2L14.5,16.2z M16.9,13.4l7.4-8.7h-1.8l-6.5,7.5L11,4.8H5l7.8,11.4L5,25.2h1.8l6.8-7.9l5.5,7.9h6L16.9,13.4\n\tL16.9,13.4z\"\/>\n<\/svg>\n\n            <\/span>\n            <span class=\"a2a_label visually-hidden\">X<\/span>\n          <\/a>\n                                <a class=\"a2a_button_linkedin\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/#linkedin\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"Linkedin\">\n            <span class=\"a2a_svg a2a_s__default a2a_s_linkedin\">\n              <svg height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 19 19\" width=\"19\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"m25 21.4220779c0 1.974026-1.6038961 3.5779221-3.5779221 3.5779221h-11.84415582c-1.97402598 0-3.57792208-1.6038961-3.57792208-3.5779221v-11.84415582c0-1.97402598 1.6038961-3.57792208 3.57792208-3.57792208h11.84415582c1.974026 0 3.5779221 1.6038961 3.5779221 3.57792208zm-14.5584416-12.21428569c-.98701295 0-1.60389606.61688311-1.60389606 1.48051949-.12337663.8636364.49350649 1.4805195 1.48051946 1.4805195.987013 0 1.6038961-.6168831 1.6038961-1.4805195 0-.86363638-.6168831-1.48051949-1.4805195-1.48051949zm1.3571429 12.70779219v-8.6363636h-2.83766234v8.6363636zm10.2402597 0v-4.9350649c0-2.5909091-1.3571428-3.8246753-3.3311688-3.8246753-1.4805195 0-2.0974026.8636363-2.4675325 1.4805194v-1.2337662h-2.8376623v8.6363636h2.8376623v-4.9350649c0-.2467532 0-.4935065.1233767-.7402597.1233766-.4935065.6168831-.987013 1.4805194-.987013.987013 0 1.4805195.7402597 1.4805195 1.974026v4.564935z\" transform=\"translate(-6 -6)\"\/><\/svg>\n            <\/span>\n            <span class=\"a2a_label visually-hidden\">LinkedIn<\/span>\n          <\/a>\n                                <a class=\"a2a_button_bluesky\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/#bluesky\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"Bluesky\">\n            <span class=\"a2a_svg a2a_s__default a2a_s_bluesky\">\n              <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"50px\" height=\"50px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\">\n                <path fill=\"#00000\" d=\"M12 10.8c-1.087-2.114-4.046-6.053-6.798-7.995C2.566.944 1.561 1.266.902 1.565C.139 1.908 0 3.08 0 3.768c0 .69.378 5.65.624 6.479c.815 2.736 3.713 3.66 6.383 3.364c.136-.02.275-.039.415-.056c-.138.022-.276.04-.415.056c-3.912.58-7.387 2.005-2.83 7.078c5.013 5.19 6.87-1.113 7.823-4.308c.953 3.195 2.05 9.271 7.733 4.308c4.267-4.308 1.172-6.498-2.74-7.078a8.741 8.741 0 0 1-.415-.056c.14.017.279.036.415.056c2.67.297 5.568-.628 6.383-3.364c.246-.828.624-5.79.624-6.478c0-.69-.139-1.861-.902-2.206c-.659-.298-1.664-.62-4.3 1.24C16.046 4.748 13.087 8.687 12 10.8\"  fill-rule=\"evenodd\" \/>\n              <\/svg>\n            <\/span>\n            <span class=\"a2a_label visually-hidden\">Bluesky<\/span>\n          <\/a>\n                                <a class=\"a2a_button_email\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/#email\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"E-mail\">\n            <span class=\"a2a_svg a2a_s__default a2a_s_print\">\n              <svg height=\"12\" viewBox=\"0 0 18 12\" width=\"18\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"m8.14285714 9.42857143c-.17142857 0-.34285714 0-.51428571.08571428l7.28571427 6.34285719c.3428572.2571428.6857143.2571428.9428572 0l7.2857142-6.34285719c-.0857142-.08571428-.2571428-.08571428-.4285714-.08571428zm-1.28571428 1.11428567v.1714286 8.5714286c0 .6857143.6 1.2857143 1.28571428 1.2857143h14.57142856c.6857143 0 1.2857143-.6 1.2857143-1.2857143v-8.5714286c0-.0857143 0-.0857143 0-.1714286l-7.2 6.3428572c-.7714286.6857143-1.8857143.6857143-2.6571429 0z\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" transform=\"translate(-6 -9)\"\/><\/svg>\n            <\/span>\n            <span class=\"a2a_label visually-hidden\">Email<\/span>\n          <\/a>\n                  <\/span>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n  \n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--rich-text \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--rich-text\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n      \n<div class=\"f--field f--wysiwyg\">\n\n    \n  <p>For centuries, the Jesuits have worn many hats: missionaries, educators and preachers; writers and scientists; priests with the poor and confessors to the royal courts of Europe.<\/p>\n<p>I am <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/iacs\/staff\/\">a scholar of Catholicism<\/a> and a priest who belongs to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jesuits.org\/about-us\/the-jesuits\/\" target=\"_blank\">Society of Jesus<\/a> (more commonly known as the Jesuits) &ndash; often considered one of the Catholic Church&rsquo;s <a href=\"http:\/\/press.georgetown.edu\/book\/georgetown\/jesuits-and-globalization\" target=\"_blank\">most influential<\/a> religious orders.<\/p>\n<p>But the Jesuits are also among the church&rsquo;s more controversial groups: They have sometimes run afoul of Catholic groups holding different opinions or church authorities, and they also have been accused of conniving in politics. For example, fearful that the order would interfere in American politics, Founding Father <a href=\"https:\/\/press.princeton.edu\/books\/hardcover\/9780691171623\/american-jesuits-and-the-world\" target=\"_blank\">John Adams wrote to Thomas Jefferson<\/a> in 1816 that the order deserved &ldquo;eternal Perdition on Earth and in Hell.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>So who are the Jesuits? And what makes them distinctive?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Soldier to saint<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In 1521, the Basque nobleman <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/9780470670606.wbecc0693\" target=\"_blank\">I&ntilde;igo L&oacute;pez<\/a> &ndash; known to history as St. Ignatius of Loyola &ndash; was seriously wounded in a battle against the French in Pamplona, Spain. Intense prayer over months of painful recuperation prompted a personal transformation that would lead him to found the Society of Jesus in 1534.<\/p>\n<p>Ignatius compiled his spiritual insights into a prayer manual called the &ldquo;<a href=\"http:\/\/spex.ignatianspirituality.com\/SpiritualExercises\/Puhl\" target=\"_blank\">Spiritual Exercises<\/a>.&rdquo; This book was intended to help people &ldquo;seek and find the will of God&rdquo; and guide them through a monthlong silent retreat.<\/p>\n<p>While studying at the University of Paris, Ignatius gathered a small group of <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1163\/9789004280601_006\" target=\"_blank\">like-minded men<\/a> whom he led through the &ldquo;Spiritual Exercises.&rdquo; They became the first Jesuits, soon <a href=\"https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/profile\/Jose-Coupeau-2\/publication\/290874574_Five_personae_of_Ignatius_of_Loyola\/links\/5c46141692851c22a385fd1a\/Five-personae-of-Ignatius-of-Loyola.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">electing Ignatius<\/a> as their leader, the first superior general. By the time Ignatius died in 1556 there were some <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hup.harvard.edu\/catalog.php?isbn=9780674303133&amp;content=toc\" target=\"_blank\">1,000 Jesuits spread across Europe, India and Brazil<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>One mission, many ways<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Catholic religious orders generally require their members to take <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usccb.org\/beliefs-and-teachings\/vocations\/discerning-women\/the-vowed-life\" target=\"_blank\">three lifelong vows<\/a>: poverty, chastity and obedience. The additional Jesuit &ldquo;fourth vow&rdquo; is a commitment to <a href=\"https:\/\/ejournals.bc.edu\/index.php\/jesuit\/article\/view\/3721\/3299\" target=\"_blank\">being available<\/a> to be sent to work wherever the needs of the church and the world are most pressing. Often, this means undertaking ministries in remote corners of the globe or in emerging fields of study.<\/p>\n<p>Also built into the order is the desire to &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.georgetown.edu\/news\/the-jesuit-mission-seeking-god-in-all-things\/#:%7E:text=What%20is%20a%20Jesuit%3F,seek%20God%20in%20all%20things.\">seek God and find God&rsquo;s will in all things<\/a>.&rdquo; This conviction has historically drawn Jesuits to <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/jesuits-as-science-missionaries-for-the-catholic-church-47829\" target=\"_blank\">many different areas of study<\/a>, including mathematics and and the <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/978-3-319-08365-0\" target=\"_blank\">sciences<\/a>, and has sent them to far-flung places. Jesuit explorers <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/23270072\" target=\"_blank\">mapped the Amazon River<\/a> and discovered the source of <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3989\/chdj.2019.012\" target=\"_blank\">the Blue Nile<\/a>. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vaticanobservatory.org\/sacred-space-astronomy\/asteroids-named-for-jesuits-an-update\/\" target=\"_blank\">Sixteen asteroids<\/a> and some <a href=\"https:\/\/www.americamagazine.org\/politics-society\/2019\/07\/12\/why-are-so-many-craters-moon-named-after-jesuits\" target=\"_blank\">34 Moon craters<\/a> are named for Jesuit astronomers.<\/p>\n<p>At a time when public education was scarce, they <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bc.edu\/content\/dam\/files\/offices\/mission\/pdf1\/ju8.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">responded to that need<\/a> and built a <a href=\"https:\/\/books.google.com\/books?hl=en&amp;lr=&amp;id=GguXDwAAQBAJ&amp;oi=fnd&amp;pg=PA153&amp;dq=Jesuit+education+history&amp;ots=P-QUUqNIkA&amp;sig=Kznv1Ismzt6bAI8XbWCbftY22u8#v=onepage&amp;q=Jesuit%20education%20history&amp;f=false\" target=\"_blank\">network of schools across Europe, Latin America and Asia<\/a>. Their schools developed <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.19272\/201602104009\" target=\"_blank\">an innovative<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1515\/9780823296866\" target=\"_blank\">curriculum<\/a> that incorporated rhetoric, the classics, <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3138\/9781442681569\" target=\"_blank\">the arts<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/978-3-319-08365-0\" target=\"_blank\">science<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Education continues to be one of the order&rsquo;s major emphases, with <a href=\"https:\/\/iaju.org\/printable-maps\" target=\"_blank\">nearly 200 Jesuit-founded universities<\/a>, and hundreds more <a href=\"https:\/\/www.educatemagis.org\/blogs\/the-2019-map-of-the-jesuit-global-network-of-schools-is-here\/\" target=\"_blank\">high schools and educational projects<\/a> across the world.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Lightning rods for controversy<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Jesuits&rsquo; work has sometimes immersed them in controversies and criticism.<\/p>\n<p>Among the best-known was the &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/brill.com\/view\/title\/34019\" target=\"_blank\">Chinese rites<\/a>&rdquo; debate in the 17th century. Convinced that Christianity would spread more quickly if it adapted to local cultures, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cairn.info\/revue-histoire-monde-et-cultures-religieuses1-2011-2-page-129.htm\" target=\"_blank\">Jesuit missionaries in China<\/a> incorporated elements of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.oxfordbibliographies.com\/view\/document\/obo-9780199920082\/obo-9780199920082-0171.xml#:%7E:text=Ancestor%20worship%20refers%20to%20rituals,geographical%20regions%2C%20and%20socioeconomic%20groups.\">Confucian ancestor veneration<\/a> into Catholic rituals. This move was bitterly opposed by Franciscan and Dominican missionaries, and Pope Clement XI <a href=\"https:\/\/digitalcommons.csbsju.edu\/cgi\/viewcontent.cgi?referer=&amp;httpsredir=1&amp;article=1072&amp;context=obsculta\" target=\"_blank\">banned the strategy in 1704<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The Jesuits&rsquo; close association with royal courts and the papacy made the order influential, but also vulnerable to opposition. Beginning with the territories of the Portuguese Empire, Jesuits were gradually <a href=\"https:\/\/www.oxfordhandbooks.com\/view\/10.1093\/oxfordhb\/9780190639631.001.0001\/oxfordhb-9780190639631-e-31\" target=\"_blank\">expelled from all the Bourbon territories<\/a> &ndash; areas that today form parts of Spain, Italy and France and their former empires &ndash; and the Habsburg lands of Central Europe. Bowing to political pressure, the Vatican formally <a href=\"https:\/\/brill.com\/view\/journals\/rpjs\/2\/1\/article-p1_1.xml\" target=\"_blank\">abolished the Jesuits<\/a>, and they had no official existence from 1773 until 1814.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Adapting to change, embracing justice<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In 1965, <a href=\"https:\/\/jesuitsources.bc.edu\/pedro-arrupe-witness-of-the-twentieth-century-prophet-of-the-twenty-first\/\" target=\"_blank\">Father Pedro Arrupe<\/a>, a Basque who had spent much of his life in Japan, was elected as the Jesuits&rsquo; 28th superior general. At the time, the Catholic Church was implementing the teachings of the <a href=\"https:\/\/muse.jhu.edu\/book\/39715\" target=\"_blank\">Second Vatican Council<\/a>, adapting many practices to be more relevant to a changing world experiencing decolonialization, Cold War politics and the <a href=\"https:\/\/cruxnow.com\/global-church\/2017\/10\/latest-numbers-confirm-global-south-new-catholic-center-gravity\" target=\"_blank\">shift in Catholic population<\/a> to the Southern Hemisphere.<\/p>\n<p>Under Arrupe&rsquo;s leadership, the Jesuits formally declared that a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scu.edu\/ic\/programs\/ignatian-worldview\/stories\/decree-4-gc-32-service-of-faith-and-the-promotion-of-justice.html\" target=\"_blank\">commitment to justice<\/a> was essential to their order&rsquo;s work. This development brought many Jesuits to take progressive stances in religion and politics alike. Jesuits in Latin America, for example, adopted aspects of <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1163\/9789004505612_023\" target=\"_blank\">liberation theology<\/a>, which emphasized concern for the poor and oppressed: providing for people not only spiritually, but materially. Today, in the minds of many, Jesuits continue to be associated with more progressive <a href=\"https:\/\/theimaginativeconservative.org\/2018\/11\/two-kinds-jesuits-dwight-longenecker.html\" target=\"_blank\">and liberal viewpoints<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>[<em>3 media outlets, 1 religion newsletter.<\/em> <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/us\/newsletters\/this-week-in-religion-76\/?utm_source=TCUS&amp;utm_medium=inline-link&amp;utm_campaign=newsletter-text&amp;utm_content=religion-3-in-1\" target=\"_blank\">Get stories from The Conversation, AP and RNS.<\/a>]<\/p>\n<p>Like those in other Catholic orders, Jesuit priests around the world have been accused of sex abuse. A <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/international-news-sexual-abuse-by-clergy-spain-bd48515c52e036fcaa96dcf4edb488d2\" target=\"_blank\">recent church report<\/a> in Spain, for example, identified 96 abusers, most of whom had already died.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, more historical research is coming to light on Jesuits&rsquo; involvement <a href=\"https:\/\/brill.com\/view\/journals\/jjs\/8\/1\/article-p1_1.xml\" target=\"_blank\">with slavery<\/a>. In 2021, the order <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2021\/03\/15\/us\/jesuits-georgetown-reparations-slavery.html\" target=\"_blank\">pledged US$100 million<\/a> for descendants of people enslaved by Georgetown University in the 19th century and for racial justice initiatives.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Pope Francis and the future of the Jesuits<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The prospect of a Jesuit pope was once considered unlikely, given tensions at times between other church leaders and the order. Therefore, the 2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1017\/hor.2020.66\" target=\"_blank\">election of Jesuit Jorge Bergoglio<\/a> as Pope Francis surprised many, and his papacy has continued in that vein.<\/p>\n<p>Pope Francis has been alternately hailed as a <a href=\"https:\/\/us.macmillan.com\/books\/9781250119391\" target=\"_blank\">modernizer<\/a> welcoming of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/support-your-children-if-they-are-gay-pope-tells-parents-2022-01-26\/\" target=\"_blank\">LGBT Catholics<\/a> and criticized for <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1108\/CCIJ-12-2020-0166\" target=\"_blank\">insufficient responsiveness<\/a> to the <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/the-catholic-church-sex-abuse-crisis-4-essential-reads-169442\" target=\"_blank\">clerical sexual abuse crisis<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Vatican observers note some characteristic <a href=\"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/chapter\/10.1007%2F978-3-319-71377-9_3\" target=\"_blank\">Ignatian emphases in Pope Francis&rsquo; priorities, language and management style<\/a>, including more attention to the poor. He has stressed the need for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marquette.edu\/mission-ministry\/explore\/ignatian-discernment.php\" target=\"_blank\">considering all sides of an argument<\/a> when making church decisions and has shown a pragmatic willingness to consider new approaches.<\/p>\n<p>Future Jesuit emphases will continue to evolve as the order adapts to new circumstances. But it is the &ldquo;Spiritual Exercises&rdquo; that remain the heart of the identity and mission of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/article\/us-religion-jesuits\/jesuits-elect-new-leader-a-latin-american-like-the-jesuit-pope-idUSKBN12E1I6\" target=\"_blank\">today&rsquo;s 17,000 Jesuits<\/a>.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/counter.theconversation.com\/content\/177667\/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic\" alt=\"The Conversation\" style=\"border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\"><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https:\/\/theconversation.com\/republishing-guidelines --><\/p>\n<p><span><a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/dorian-llywelyn-1282316\" target=\"_blank\">Dorian Llywelyn<\/a>, President, Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/institutions\/usc-dornsife-college-of-letters-arts-and-sciences-2669\" target=\"_blank\">USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences<\/a><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p>This article is republished from <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\" target=\"_blank\">The Conversation<\/a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/who-are-the-jesuits-177667\" target=\"_blank\">original article<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Jesuits are among the Catholic Church\u2019s most influential religious orders but no strangers to controversy. So who are the Jesuits? And what makes them distinctive? <strong>[5\u00bc min read]<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":979,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,10],"tags":[87,104,83],"class_list":["post-976","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arts-and-culture","category-faculty","tag-expert-viewpoint","tag-religion","tag-the-conversation"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.1.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Who are the\u00a0Jesuits?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/who-are-the-jesuits\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Who are the\u00a0Jesuits?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The Jesuits are among the Catholic Church\u2019s most influential religious orders but no strangers to controversy. So who are the Jesuits? And what makes them distinctive? [5\u00bc min read]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/who-are-the-jesuits\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"USC Dornsife News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/uscdornsife\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2022-03-18T20:39:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-04-19T18:00:58+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2023\/04\/story-3654.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"520\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@uscdornsife\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@uscdornsife\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/who-are-the-jesuits\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/who-are-the-jesuits\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"\",\"@id\":\"\"},\"headline\":\"Who are the\u00a0Jesuits?\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-03-18T20:39:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-04-19T18:00:58+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/who-are-the-jesuits\/\"},\"wordCount\":4,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/who-are-the-jesuits\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2023\/04\/story-3654.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"expert viewpoint\",\"religion\",\"the conversation\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Arts and Culture\",\"Faculty\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/who-are-the-jesuits\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/who-are-the-jesuits\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/who-are-the-jesuits\/\",\"name\":\"Who are the\u00a0Jesuits?\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/who-are-the-jesuits\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/who-are-the-jesuits\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2023\/04\/story-3654.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-03-18T20:39:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-04-19T18:00:58+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/who-are-the-jesuits\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/who-are-the-jesuits\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/who-are-the-jesuits\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2023\/04\/story-3654.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2023\/04\/story-3654.jpg\",\"width\":800,\"height\":520,\"caption\":\"Who are the\u00a0Jesuits?\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/who-are-the-jesuits\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Who are the\u00a0Jesuits?\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/\",\"name\":\"USC Dornsife News\",\"description\":\"USC Dornsife news and events\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/#organization\",\"name\":\"USC Dornsife News\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/01\/USC-Dornsife-Cardinal-Black-on-White-RGB.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/01\/USC-Dornsife-Cardinal-Black-on-White-RGB.jpg\",\"width\":1000,\"height\":330,\"caption\":\"USC Dornsife News\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/uscdornsife\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/uscdornsife\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/uscdornsife\/\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/USCCollege\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/school\/uscdornsife\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Who are the\u00a0Jesuits?","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/who-are-the-jesuits\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Who are the\u00a0Jesuits?","og_description":"The Jesuits are among the Catholic Church\u2019s most influential religious orders but no strangers to controversy. So who are the Jesuits? And what makes them distinctive? [5\u00bc min read]","og_url":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/who-are-the-jesuits\/","og_site_name":"USC Dornsife News","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/uscdornsife","article_published_time":"2022-03-18T20:39:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2023-04-19T18:00:58+00:00","og_image":[{"width":800,"height":520,"url":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2023\/04\/story-3654.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@uscdornsife","twitter_site":"@uscdornsife","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/who-are-the-jesuits\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/who-are-the-jesuits\/"},"author":{"name":"","@id":""},"headline":"Who are the\u00a0Jesuits?","datePublished":"2022-03-18T20:39:00+00:00","dateModified":"2023-04-19T18:00:58+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/who-are-the-jesuits\/"},"wordCount":4,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/who-are-the-jesuits\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2023\/04\/story-3654.jpg","keywords":["expert viewpoint","religion","the conversation"],"articleSection":["Arts and Culture","Faculty"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/who-are-the-jesuits\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/who-are-the-jesuits\/","url":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/who-are-the-jesuits\/","name":"Who are the\u00a0Jesuits?","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/who-are-the-jesuits\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/who-are-the-jesuits\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2023\/04\/story-3654.jpg","datePublished":"2022-03-18T20:39:00+00:00","dateModified":"2023-04-19T18:00:58+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/who-are-the-jesuits\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/who-are-the-jesuits\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/who-are-the-jesuits\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2023\/04\/story-3654.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2023\/04\/story-3654.jpg","width":800,"height":520,"caption":"Who are the\u00a0Jesuits?"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/who-are-the-jesuits\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Who are the\u00a0Jesuits?"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/#website","url":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/","name":"USC Dornsife News","description":"USC Dornsife news and events","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/#organization","name":"USC Dornsife News","url":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/01\/USC-Dornsife-Cardinal-Black-on-White-RGB.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/01\/USC-Dornsife-Cardinal-Black-on-White-RGB.jpg","width":1000,"height":330,"caption":"USC Dornsife News"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/uscdornsife","https:\/\/x.com\/uscdornsife","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/uscdornsife\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/USCCollege","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/school\/uscdornsife"]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/976","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=976"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/976\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":978,"href":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/976\/revisions\/978"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/979"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=976"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=976"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=976"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}